Alright, so you know how everyone claims their oven baked chicken breast comes out perfect? Well, for a long time, mine didn’t. There was a period (a dark age, really) when my chicken came out drier than my sense of humour on a Monday morning. But then one night, after forgetting my pan for exactly two minutes too long (classic me), I accidentally discovered the sweet spot. Since then, I’ve nailed it more times than not. It’s become my fallback dinner when I’m too tired to faff about but still want the house to smell like I’ve made more effort than I actually have. And, true story, my neighbor once popped over just because she “could smell something good from the hallway.” Happens to the best of us!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe (Or At Least Tolerate It)
I whip this up whenever I want dinner with zero fuss. My kids go wild for it—though, for full transparency, one does insist on dipping every piece in ketchup (which hurts my soul a little, but we pick our battles). If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll switch up the herbs, but honestly, this is what I go for on those can’t-be-bothered weeknights. Oh, and the cleanup? Minimal. Unless you, I dunno, fling olive oil around out of sheer excitement—it happens.
What You Need—Substitutes (or Sneaky Swaps)
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sometimes I use thighs if they’re on sale—my gran swore by bone-in, but I’m lazy)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (olive is great, but I won’t judge if you use canola or whatever’s in the cupboard)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (regular works, but it’s less Instagrammable, ha!)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (sometimes I use onion powder if I’ve run out; my cousin just uses both, rebellious soul she is)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (smoked works too—gives a BBQ-ish vibe)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning (fresh is divine but I rarely remember to buy it)
- Optional: a squirt of lemon juice (gives it a zing, as my dad would say; but don’t stress if you forget)
How To Make It (Don’t Overthink It)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Yes, it’s hot. That’s the point—you want that quick seal, trust me.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Don’t skip this; moisture is the enemy of tasty brown bits.
- In a weirdly large bowl, toss the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme (or whatever mix is calling your name). Do it with your hands—more fun, and you get a better coating. On second thought, maybe use tongs if you’ve got a manicure to protect.
- Splash a little olive oil on a baking sheet or line it with parchment if, like me, you fear the scrubbing more than judgment from your mother-in-law. Plop the chicken on there. Space them out, don’t squish—everyone needs their personal space.
- Bake in the upper third of the oven for 18-22 minutes. No peeking! Well, OK, you can glance, but don’t test until minute 18. You’re aiming for 165°F (74°C) inside. I use an old-school meat thermometer, but when I can’t find it, I just slice the thickest bit and check it’s not pink. (Not fancy, but works.)
- This is where I almost always get distracted. Let the chicken rest on the tray for about 5 minutes. Really. It finishes cooking here, locks in juices—one time I rushed and it was not my finest meal.
- Slice, serve, and maybe sneak a bite before anyone else gets to the table because you’re the cook; you earned it.
Notes (A Few Lessons Learned by Trial and Error…)
- Sometimes the chicken comes out a bit pale. A quick minute or two under the broiler at the end helps—just don’t wander off or you’ll be scraping black bits off your lovely dinner.
- If the edges look a bit crusty, that’s normal. Consider it bonus crisp.
- I think this actually tastes better cold the next day in sandwiches. Unless you forget it in the fridge behind the pickles. Oops.
Crazy Variations (Not All Of Them Winners!)
- Swap the paprika for chili powder and skip the thyme for cumin—instant Tex-Mex mood.
- Slather BBQ sauce on in the last five minutes. Gets sticky, but so good.
- Tried marinating overnight once; didn’t taste hugely different to me, but maybe I messed it up. Worth trying though?
- One time I tried a honey-mustard glaze; came out weirdly sweet. Not my favorite, but hey—someone else might dig it.
Stuff You’ll Need (But Improvise If You’re Short)
- Baking sheet (Or, if yours has vanished like mine sometimes does, use an ovenproof skillet. Works almost as well.)
- Mixing bowl (though I’ve used a big zip bag before in a moment of laziness)
- Paper towels (okay, or a clean tea towel, if you don’t mind washing it after)
- Meat thermometer (but see above about just poking the chicken!)
How To Store It—If It Survives Dinner
Leftovers go in an airtight container in the fridge. Should be good for up to 3 days, but, if I’m honest, rarely makes it past breakfast the next day when someone (naming no names, Sam!) nicks it for a sandwich. Freezes alright, just slice it first.
If You Wanna Get Fancy—How I Serve It
For weeknights? Just sliced over a big salad. On weekends, maybe mashed potatoes and steamed green beans (because my mum did it that way). Sometimes I go rogue and just pile it onto buttered toast. No shame.
Things I Wish I Knew Sooner (Trust Me)
- Seriously, don’t rush the resting step. I learned that the hard way—once bit into a piece and all the juices ran. Sad times.
- Don’t forget to check both breasts for doneness. One always seems to cook faster than the other, like siblings racing to finish dinner.
- On occasion, I’ve used foil to cover the chicken if it’s browning too fast—prevents drama.
Real Questions I’ve Actually Gotten!
- Can I use frozen chicken? If you thaw it first, sure! Straight from frozen—eh, I don’t recommend; it cooks unevenly. That’s what microwaves are for, right?
- How do I make sure it doesn’t dry out? Don’t overcook. Or, like I sometimes do, brush it with a bit more olive oil halfway through baking.
- Why do you use such a high temp? Because I like the outside to get a bit toasty. Plus, less waiting around when you’re peckish!
- Help, my chicken always sticks to the pan. Parchment paper is your friend. Or, just scrape it off and call it “rustic.” No one will know.
- Is this good for meal prep? Absolutely! Actually, I think it keeps getting better overnight—just don’t tell the chicken, it might get a big head.
Oh, and one last random bit: I once dropped a piece straight onto the kitchen floor (it happens), picked it up, dusted it off, and my dog still looked at me like I was being stingy. Just goes to show—if the dog wants it, you know it’s good. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sometimes I use thighs if they’re on sale—my gran swore by bone-in, but I’m lazy)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (olive is great, but I won’t judge if you use canola or whatever’s in the cupboard)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (regular works, but it’s less Instagrammable, ha!)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (sometimes I use onion powder if I’ve run out; my cousin just uses both, rebellious soul she is)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (smoked works too—gives a BBQ-ish vibe)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning (fresh is divine but I rarely remember to buy it)
- Optional: a squirt of lemon juice (gives it a zing, as my dad would say; but don’t stress if you forget)
Instructions
-
1Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Yes, it’s hot. That’s the point—you want that quick seal, trust me.
-
2Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Don’t skip this; moisture is the enemy of tasty brown bits.
-
3In a weirdly large bowl, toss the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme (or whatever mix is calling your name). Do it with your hands—more fun, and you get a better coating. On second thought, maybe use tongs if you’ve got a manicure to protect.
-
4Splash a little olive oil on a baking sheet or line it with parchment if, like me, you fear the scrubbing more than judgment from your mother-in-law. Plop the chicken on there. Space them out, don’t squish—everyone needs their personal space.
-
5Bake in the upper third of the oven for 18-22 minutes. No peeking! Well, OK, you can glance, but don’t test until minute 18. You’re aiming for 165°F (74°C) inside. I use an old-school meat thermometer, but when I can’t find it, I just slice the thickest bit and check it’s not pink. (Not fancy, but works.)
-
6This is where I almost always get distracted. Let the chicken rest on the tray for about 5 minutes. Really. It finishes cooking here, locks in juices—one time I rushed and it was not my finest meal.
-
7Slice, serve, and maybe sneak a bite before anyone else gets to the table because you’re the cook; you earned it.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
235 caloriescal
Protein:
34gg
Fat:
10gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
2gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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